The bathroom was very big, apparently the recipient of another major apartment expansion; the adjoining bedroom was only large enough to hold a single-sized bed and a dresser, with no closet. In the bedroom Ben saw a very large jacuzzi tub and a glass-enclosed shower big enough for at least two.
Taggart stepped in the shower, while Bernie peed in the toilet without shame. "This is awesome," he chuckled. Ben assumed he meant the eveningās festivities, not the peeing.
Alicia and Karen entered behind Ben, squeezing his body with their hands as they passed him by. Both girls looked like theyād just had showers, but they smelled completely of sex. Alicia led Karen into the shower with Taggart, and the three washed up.
"Having fun?" Bethany asked as she wrapped her arms around Ben.
Ben simply turned around and planted a deep, passionate french-kiss on Beth, who responded fiercely, wrapping one leg around Benās calves. Ben still couldnāt believe how hard his cock was.
There was plenty of room in the shower to accommodate the necessary logistics. Taggart and Alicia left the shower as Bernie got in. Taggart relieved himself in the toilet, and Alicia announced, "Iāll wait to take a dump," as she left the room. Everyone laughed. Bernie left the shower, but Karen stayed inside as Bethany and Ben entered. Karen stood under the water, weary.
Ben asked quietly, "Are you okay?" Karen nodded with determination. She stepped to the side of the chamber so Beth and Ben could shower. They soaped and shampooed each other, then fondled the otherās body parts as they rinsed. There were no towels, so everyone simply dripped around the living room and kitchen as they air-dried.
"Is anyone still in there?" Alicia asked.
Taggart answered, "Karenās taking a long shower."
"Thatās fine." And Alicia went back in to do her business.
Bernie pulled a large bowl of fruit out of the fridge, and Ben was not surprised to find how inviting the fresh food looked, cool and moist unlike the drying pizza on the counter. No one really spoke at all; they just sat around the living room and recovered for a bit. Everyone seemed comfortable in their nakedness, probably too warm in the apartment rather than too cool. The time was about 11:30.
Karen entered from the small hallway, glowing in the sheen of the bathwater, dripping like a fresh piece of fruit. She stretched her arms into the air, and whether she was aware of it or not, she commanded the attention of all eyes in the room. Ben thought she looked like a goddess of fertility, or an eager muse. The power of the emotions Karen caused in him made Ben happy, because it meant he still had enough libido to last a few more hours. And he needed to.
"Whenās Act Eight start?" Karen asked. She bit into an apple. Even though she was the most tired member of the group, she was the only one standing.
"Heh," Bernie chuckled dryly. "This IS Act Eight."
Taggart added, "The shower break is where we decide if you and Ben are still comfortable around us, after all weāve done to you. We want to make sure Toy Box members feel safe and friendly around here, free to come and go as they like, and to make requests of the other members. Once youāre past the Ten Acts, youāre free to say no anytime you like, but before that time comes, itās our job to reduce the number of new members who are LIKELY to say no."
"Do we pass?" Ben asked.
Taggart smiled. "Yeah, you pass. Iād be handing you your clothes if you hadnāt, instead of telling you about Act Eight. Karen, sit down, sexy." He took Karenās hand and led her to the couch, relinquishing his seat.
"Well, Iām still one horny bitch," Alicia said as she tweaked Karenās nipple. "Letās get the last two Acts over with so we can do some straight fucking."
Taggart crossed his arms, and his cock swayed as it hung. "Alicia, I swear, you are the dirtiest fucking whore Iāve ever cum inside."
"Save your flattery for the sorority virgins you seduce, bastard. Iām fucking horny!"
Ben said, "Iām ready when you guys are."
"Ready for what, Ben?" Taggart asked, formal once again.
"Iām ready for Act Nine," Ben said.
Karen said, "I canāt believe we made it. Iām ready for Act Nine."
Taggart asked, "Do either of you have acting experience?" Meanwhile, Bethany picked up a cordless phone and went into the kitchen to make a call.
Karen and Ben looked confused. "No," they answered. The other three laughed.
"Act Nine is where we have a bit of fun, and kill two birds with one stone. The first bird is a test of your ability to create imaginative narrative, to enhance the fun in the bedroom. To do this, weāll put you on the phone with a stranger, who you must seduce. One of our members is a phone sex operator, and when I call her in a minute, sheāll connect you to a caller whoās dialed the 1-900 number."
"Youāre kidding!" Ben said. Karen was stunned speechless, but smiling.
"Youāll take the phone into the bedroom as we listen from out here over a muted speakerphone. Second, weāll video tape you as you conduct your phone sex. The Toy Box maintains a library of its members, both as security and for the private use of our other members. In short, if you try to harm our organization by revealing our secrets, weāll release our footage of you in a dramatic way. On the other hand, if you have no intention of betraying us, you may feel free to add to the video collection at anytime, either during your sessions here or out in the real world."
Karen nodded thoughtfully. "Thatās a good idea."
Ben added, "Sounds reasonable. Besides, I sure wouldnāt want to get kicked out now."
Bethany returned. "I have Michelle on the line. Whose first?"
Taggart said, "Karen, you wanna give it a go first? We already saw you role-playing, I have utter confidence in you."
"So youāll be judging us?" Karen asked. "What if we fail?"
"Youāll only fail if you donāt try. Itās the willingness weāre trying to gauge, not the expertise. So far tonight, so good."
Karen reached for the phone, and Bethany handed it to her. "Hello? Hi, Iām Karen. So what do I do?"
Taggart took Karen by the shoulders as she received her instructions, leading her into the room. Bernie walked over to the television and turned it on, showing nothing but static. Then the image changed, and the group saw Taggart setting up a video-camera, jangling it about as he set it on a tripod. The image settled down as it focused on Karen sitting in one of the corner leather chairs, phone still to her ear. Bernie punched a button on the phone on the wall, then he turned up the volume. The four of them, Ben, Alicia, Bethany and Bernie, snuggled up together on the couch, stroking thighs and shoulders as they watched and listened.
A voice on the phone continued a conversation already in progress: "...whatever you want to say, nothing is off limits. Sometimes there are restrictions, depending on the service, but not with ours, so go wild. One thing never changes though -- the cheap ones like to get off as quickly as they can, then hang up, so donāt be upset if he leaves in a hurry. I guess thatās all you need to know. Do you have any questions?"
"It seems pretty straight-forward," Karen said. She could be seen on the television as she spoke. Taggart left the bedroom, closing the door behind him, and he sat in a chair separate from the group.
Karen continued, "So when do we start?"
"Iāll patch a caller through in a minute. Get ready!"
Only a few seconds of silence passed before the operatorās voice returned. "Hey baby, Iāve got Jenny ready to talk to you. Jenny, you there?"